Floral design container system

ABSTRACT

A floral design system is described having a base that is utilized to house water when displaying live flowers. A lid is designed to fit within the base and has a series of openings about its surface. Rigid holding structures are attached to the lid with one or more elastic bands intertwined with the rigid holding structures to form a flexible web. The flexible web provides support for the stems of the flowers to be held firmly in place. The flexible web is made out of a pliable material for conforming to the shape of the stem while providing a tight fit. The bottom of the stems protrudes down into the base for water supply.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending and co-ownedU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/001,880 entitled “Floral DesignContainer System”, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,623, filed with the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 2, 2004, by the inventor herein,which is based upon and claims benefit of copending and co-owned U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/526,748 entitled “FlowerPatch Design Containers”, filed with the U.S. Patent and TrademarkOffice on Dec. 3, 2003 by the inventor herein, the specifications ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a plant container system. Morespecifically, the invention relates to a system to enable a user tocreate a decorative floral display for use as a centerpiece or as adecorative display piece.

2. Background of the Prior Art

Holders for floral arrangements and other items requiring moisture areknown in the art. Most holders for floral arrangements are constructedto receive a foam block into which the stem of a flower can be inserted.Various shapes of the foam block can be used to create differentarrangements of flowers. Generally, the flower stems are placed into thefoam in a desired orientation. If the stem is not strong enough topenetrate the floral foam, the flower may be attached to a wooden orplastic stick, usually by means of wire or tape.

Often, it is also desirable to include flowers in a holder so that theflowers extend at an angle relative to other flowers that are insertedinto and vertically extend from the surface of the foam block in theholder. It is often desirable to have the flowers over both the flat topand the sloping portions and, preferably, drape over the upper portionsof the vertical sides of the floral foam block. With the prior artholders in which the sides of the blocks extend only vertically, it isdifficult, and requires skill, to insert the stems of the flowers into aside of the block and provide a good appearance as well as to cause theflowers to present a cascade effect. With a block having only horizontaland vertical surfaces, the stems of flowers that are to extend at anangle relative to the vertically extending flowers generally areinserted at an angle offset from the orthogonal to the top surface ofthe foam block and into the vertical side surfaces of the block. Theinsertion of stems into a foam block at a non-orthogonal angle to itstop surface, in addition to the difficulties set forth, does not alwaysresult in secure retention of those stems in the block.

Many attempts have been made to simplify the design and display offloral arrangements. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,965,565; 1,973,868;and 1,989,952, issued to Bartlett, Field, and Thomas, respectively,disclose flower-holding devices. U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,251, issued toKing, discloses a flower holder that is designed to hold cut flowers,regardless of the length or diameter of the stem. U.S. Pat. No.4,958,461, issued to Aldrich, discloses a bucket with a cover to holdseveral small bunches of flowers while preventing the stems frombecoming entangled.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,463, issued to Domurat, discloses a floral standdesigned to display flower or branch arrangements in any desiredorientation, including horizontally or upside down. The stand is ahollow shell made of a lightweight plastic material and formed in anypleasing shape desired for flower display. Inside the shell are locatedairtight compartments for holding liquid nutrient. Each compartmentincludes a hole for the insertion of a flower stem into it and means togrip the stem tightly.

While each of the above-mentioned devices may be effective to somedegree in assisting a user in creating a pleasing floral arrangement,none of the references, however, discloses a compact and inexpensivecontainer system using a flexible web attached to a specially designedlid to hold flowers at a variety of angles. None of the referencesdiscloses an alternative to the use of floral foam to hold flower stemsin a desired arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a solution to the above and otherproblems by enabling a simply designed, easy to construct, and simple touse floral display system.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to enable a floraldesign container system that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

The present invention comprises a container designed to hold floralstems, greenery, (live, dried or artificial), and/or decorative picks aswell as a candle or candles in an arranged pattern. This system alsogives the option of displaying objects within the arrangement. Thecontainer can be created in various shapes and sizes. The container'sshape dictates the various arrangements that can be made with thecontainer. The structural concept of angled holding structures andelastic bands is how the stems or picks are held in place. Each systemconsists of a base, a lid, a unit base, a plurality of holdingstructures, and one or more elastic bands. In some embodiments, a waxcatcher, and one or more candleholders can be included. The number andtype (ex. tapered or pillar candles) of candleholders depends on thesize and shape of the container. The container can be made of eithertransparent, translucent, or opaque materials or a combination of parttransparent, translucent, and opaque materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention are considered in more detail, in relation to the followingdescription of embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings,in that:

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a floral centerpiece deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the floral centerpiece device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a base for use in the floral centerpiece device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a lid for the floral centerpiecedevice of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a holding structure according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of a floral centerpiece device of FIG. 1with the flexible web removed.

FIG. 7 shows a unit base for use in the floral centerpiece device ofFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The invention summarized above and defined by the enumerated claims maybe better understood by referring to the following description, whichshould be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in whichlike reference numbers are used for like parts. This description of anembodiment, set out below to enable one to build and use animplementation of the invention, is not intended to limit the enumeratedclaims, but to serve as a particular example thereof. Those skilled inthe art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception andspecific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designingother methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of thepresent invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize thatsuch equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe invention in its broadest form.

The invention is a centerpiece/floral holder. The holder comprises abase that is utilized to hold water when displaying live flowers. A lidis designed to fit within the base and has a series of openings aboutits surface. A plurality of rigid holding structures is attached to thelid. One or more elastic bands are intertwined with the rigid holdingstructures to form a flexible web. The flexible web provides openingsthrough which the stems of the flowers are passed to be held firmly inplace. The bottom of the stems protrudes down into the base for watersupply. The lid of the holder may also include a circular aperture thatserves as a means for replenishing the water supply in the base and foradding an optional candleholder member. An optional outer base having adiameter larger than the inner base is tailored to receive the firstbase within its inner cavity. The outer base allows the user flexibilityin decorating the entire holder.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a floral design containersystem according to the present invention, indicated generally as 10.The container system comprises a base 13, a lid 28, a plurality of rigidholding structures 16 with one or more elastic bands 17, and optionallya candleholder 19. The base 13 (see FIG. 3) comprises a flat bottom 22and a peripheral wall 25 creating a shallow, hollow dish for water,stem, or pick containment. Base 13 should be made from water resistantsolid material that maintains its shape. The material can betransparent, translucent, opaque, or a combination of materials. Theshape of base 13 should correspond with the shape of lid 28.

Referring to FIG. 4, the lid 28 has a generally rigid, flat or convexdomed surface having a plurality of openings 31 therein. Such openings31 may be arranged symmetrically around a central location on the lid28. An inner alignment wall 34 extends downward and substantiallyperpendicular from the bottom of the lid 28. The inner diameter of theperipheral wall 25 of base 13 should be slightly larger than theexterior diameter of the alignment wall 34, in order to create a snugfit between the peripheral wall 25 of base 13 and the alignment wall 34of lid 28, so as to prevent water leakage. The alignment wall 34 alsoallows a user to place and use the lid 28 in vessels other than the base13. In an alternate embodiment, the lid 28 can be placed in a mountingpost, for arrangement in a vase or other container, if so desired.

The lid 28 is constructed for stem or pick placement and containment.The lid 28 should be made from a water resistant solid material thatmaintains its shape. The material can be made from transparent,translucent, or opaque materials or a combination of them. The lid 28may contain one or more candleholders 19 that extend out from the topside of the lid. The candleholder 19 is hollow on the inside and open onthe top end (where the candle is inserted) and open on the bottom end(where it is connected to the lid) so it can be used as an outlet tofill the base 13 with water when the container is assembled. If there ismore than one candleholder 19 on a lid 28, at least one candleholdershould have an open-ended bottom to be used as an outlet for waterfilling purposes, the others may or may not be sealed on the bottom end.The lid 28 may or may not include candleholders.

Also disposed on the lid 28 are a central hub 37 and a plurality ofelongate slots 40 extending radially from the central hub 37. The top ofthe central hub 37 comprises the candleholder 19, if included. Near thebase of the central hub 37, there is a plurality of apertures 42. Eachopening 42 should be aligned with one of the elongate slots 40.

FIG. 5 shows a holding structure 16. The holding structure 16 can varyin shape or size according to the shape and size of the floral designcontainer 10. In some embodiments, the holding structure 16 can be madeas part of the lid 28 or it can be made separately and attached to thelid 28. The holding structure 16 is preferably made from a rigidmaterial and has one or more slits 44 that accommodate one or more bands17 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Each slit 44 on the holding structure 16 ispositioned at a particular angle; the angles are determined by thedesign of the floral container 10. To maintain support and placement ofthe slits 44, support material is configured in a lattice structure 46between the slits 44. If the holding structure 16 is not formedintegrally with the lid 28 a tab 47 and notch 50 are provided on a baseextension 52. The base extension 52 is sized and configured to fit inthe elongate slot 40 in the lid 28. Tab 47 is placed into the aperture42 in the central hub 37 and the notch 50 engages the outer end of theelongate slot 40.

In an alternate embodiment, the base extension 52 need not be connectedto the central hub 37. The base extension 52 can be configured to have anotch 50 on each end to engage both ends of the elongate slot 40.

FIG. 6 shows a plurality of holding structures 16 attached to the lid28. The angles, shape, and number of the holding structures 16 can varyaccording to the design of the container.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more wide elastic bands 17 areentwined with the holding structures 16 to form a flexible web 55. Theelastic bands 17 are made from a pliable material in order to have adegree of stretch, so as to conform to various stem diameters. Theelastic bands 17 have an interior wall facing toward the central hub 37and an exterior wall facing in the opposite direction. The width andthickness of the elastic bands 17 is selected to fit within the slit 44of the holding structure 16. In some embodiments, an additional elasticband can be placed together such that a pair of bands 17 is engaged inthe slit 44 and leaving an accessible opening at the top and bottom ofthe bands 17. This enables a secure method of holding the stem or pickin place. In some embodiments, the elastic bands 17 may be a porous orsemi-porous material.

The holding structures 16 are positioned in the elongate slot 40 nearthe openings 31 so the band 17 stretching between adjacent holdingstructures 16 forms a flexible web 55 positioned near or over theopenings 31. When a flower stem is inserted through the bands 17 and theopening 31 to the base 13, it is held in place. When only a single band17 is used, the flower stem rests between the interior wall of the bandand an edge of the opening 31. When two or more bands are used, theflower stem is held between two juxtaposed strips of the elastic band17. When a stem or pick is inserted between the bands 17, they willseparate enough to receive the stem or pick into, through the spacebetween the bands, and out the bottom that leads to the base 13. Thisenables a secure method of holding the stem or pick in place.

The purpose of the flexible web 55 is to place the stem of a flower inthe display system 10 at a particular angle when the stem is insertedthrough the flexible web 55 into the container 10. The flexible web 55can vary in shape and design but is always used for the purpose of angleplacement and stem or pick containment. In a preferred embodiment, theflexible web 55 is made out of material that is pliable, yet firm enoughto hold its shape and the angle at which it is formed.

A unit base 56 is shown in FIG. 7. The unit base 56 comprises a flatbottom 58 and a peripheral wall 61 creating a shallow, hollow dish thatis made from water resistant solid material that maintains its shape.Typically, a rim 64 extends around the top edge of the peripheral wall61. The material of the unit base 56 can be transparent, translucent,opaque, or a combination of materials. The shape of the unit base 56corresponds with the shape of the base 13 and lid 28. The unit base 56is a separate container in which the floral design container 10 can beplaced. The unit base 56 should be hollow and approximately the sameshape and height as the base 13 of the floral design container 10 with asubstantially larger diameter. The function of unit base 56 is to holdrandom materials to give the user a variety of looks for theirarrangements. This feature also gives the user the option of havingtheir arrangement appear as if it were arranged in various mediums otherthan water. This is achieved by filling the unit base 56 with desiredmaterials and letting them flow over onto the surface of the lid 28.

The invention has been described with references to a preferredembodiment. While specific values, relationships, materials and stepshave been set forth for purposes of describing concepts of theinvention, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art thatnumerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention asshown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit orscope of the basic concepts and operating principles of the invention asbroadly described. It should be recognized that, in the light of theabove teachings, those skilled in the art can modify those specificswithout departing from the invention taught herein. Having now fully setforth the preferred embodiments and certain modifications of the conceptunderlying the present invention, various other embodiments as well ascertain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown anddescribed will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becomingfamiliar with such underlying concept. It is intended to include allsuch modifications, alternatives and other embodiments insofar as theycome within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof. Itshould be understood, therefore, that the invention may be practicedotherwise than as specifically set forth herein. Consequently, thepresent embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive.

1. A floral design container system comprising: a lid, comprising: (1) atop surface having a plurality of openings therein; and (2) an alignmentwall extending from said lid; a plurality of holding structures attachedto said lid; and one or more elastic bands connected between adjacentholding structures wherein the plurality of holding structures and oneor more elastic bands are configured to enable a flower stem inserted insaid system to be held in place.
 2. The floral design system accordingto claim 1, further comprising at least one candleholder attached tosaid lid.
 3. The floral design system according to claim 1, said holdingstructure further comprising: at least one slit that can accommodatesaid one or more elastic bands.
 4. The floral design system according toclaim 3, said holding structure comprising a lattice structure betweenslits.
 5. The floral design system according to claim 1, said lidfurther comprising a plurality of elongate slots disposed on said lid.6. The floral design system according to claim 5, said holding structurefurther comprising a base extension sized and configured to fit in saidelongate slot on said lid, said base extension having a notch at atleast one end of said based extension.
 7. The floral design systemaccording to claim 1, said lid further comprising: a central hub; and aplurality of elongate slots disposed on said lid.
 8. The floral designsystem according to claim 7, said holding structure further comprising abase extension sized and configured to fit in said elongate slot on saidlid, said base extension having a notch at a first end thereof and a tabat a second end thereof wherein said central hub comprises a pluralityof apertures sized and configured to enable said tab to be placedtherein.
 9. The floral design system according to claim 8, wherein saidapertures are aligned with one of the elongate slots disposed on saidlid.
 10. The floral design system according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a base, comprising: (1) a bottom surface; and (2) a basewall around the periphery of said bottom surface wherein the diameter ofsaid base wall is sized and configured to fit said alignment wall. 11.The floral design system according to claim 10, wherein saidcandleholder has at least one opening in the bottom thereof to enablewater to be added to said base through said candleholder.
 12. The floraldesign system according to claim 10, further comprising: a unit base,comprising: (1) a bottom surface; and (2) a wall around the periphery ofsaid bottom surface; wherein the interior diameter of said wall islarger than the exterior diameter of said base wall.